The Challenge
by kasumi.EFP
Summary: Angelus is back and wants to play. Takes place in an alternative 4th season.


Author's note: I thought about this during a fevered night when I couldn't sleep. The idea seemed interesting so, though the time to write is hard to find, I didn't let it go.

I'll drop it in the challenge list, in case someone would like to continue the story.

No matter how hard she tried, he was always better, always faster and stronger. And it didn't help that she had a soft spot for his brooding counterpart.

She didn't know why Angelus wanted her. The bastard stormed into her cell and took all her body could offer, after beating the shit out of it.

Faith opened her swollen eyes and looked for some answers in the deep abyss of his.

As soon as Angelus was done with his body's priorities, he shifted her hair and sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck.

-o-

Spike sensed him the moment he opened the door.

They were alone in the Watcher's place. Old Giles had gone on a night out with a perky black chit and called the Slayer to baby-sit him, so there were only the two of them.

She left him tied to the chair and gagged him so that she could sleep undisturbed on the couch. Oh, he had been tied to that bloody chair for days at that point and was very tired of being their pet. So when he sensed Angelus – did the librarian forget to revoke his invitation? – he thought his pal could be the perfect ticket to his freedom.

Old grandsire could be dangerous and unpredictable but Spike didn't care. It was none of his business what that monster was going to do, was it?

"Well, well, well. That's interesting."

Angelus smiled, surprised to find Spike there, then returned to his original goal. He slowly moved toward the couch when the Slayer was asleep unaware of what was happening, and watched her intently. That was when Spike sensed the other vampire - Angelus' scent had covered hers until that moment. She was brunette and well made, all the curves in the right places, and had something familiar about her that Spike couldn't suss out. Not her appearance, though. He was sure he had never seen her before.

Spike tried to work out all the variables of the situation. What was Angelus doing there? Who was the girl he'd brought with him? Was he going to free him or was he going to make a mess and blame it all on him?

The girl started wandering around as though she owned the place. She went straight to the place old Rupert kept the good stuff and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. Well, she definitely knew the place.

Then his eyes went back to Angelus. His hand was hovering over the Slayer's form and Spike felt the urge to warn her. Wait, you wanker, what are you going to do? Want to toss your free ticket out of the window so soon? Or want to royally piss the Slayer off for not warning her first about the danger?

Spike waited, unsure if he should swallow the gag and scream or quietly enjoy the show.

Angelus put his hand on the slayer's stomach. He dragged it very slowly toward her breasts and when he said "I love you, Buffy" in her ear, in a way that he was obviously feigning Angel's sweetest voice, she moaned softly.

Watching Angelus' hand running over her in that way – replaced in his mind with his own hand– was one of the sexiest things Spike had ever seen. He couldn't help but watch it, transfixed. But it was all Angelus' fault. He was a master of manipulating minds and distorting things like this.

Spike only wanted to escape from there, run for the hills and say goodbye forever to that damn hole called Sunnyhell, but there was something that kept him alarmed. Something was off. And maybe warning the Slayer – even if Angelus was only going to leave a note on the table and go away – would be the better choice, so Spike moaned against the gag to attract their attention and arched his brown in a 'can you help a bloke?' mode.

The gesture did the trick and the brunette went to remove the gag, after silently asking permission from her partner.

Then, as soon as the girl cut the ropes, Angelus jerked Spike out of the chair. "So, Blondie, are you happy to see me?"

It was a wonder the racket didn't wake the Slayer. Angelus' smile was evil, not a friendly one, and Spike knew his suspicion was right. He was planning something. Or maybe his plan had changed when old Spike was added to the equation.

"What's happening here?" It was the Slayer's voice. Well, maybe she wasn't so deaf after all. Then, "Angel? Faith?" and, as the brunette showed her her fangs, "Oh my God, Angelus? And you're with Spike?"

Not deaf but surely dense. Or, from another point of view, distrustful.

Spike showed her that the rope around his hands was still in place. He had to slip out of Angelus' claws before it was too late. "I'm not with him, Slayer. Help me."

She glared him. "You're bluffing, Spike. They're enough demon for you to beat, all by yourself."

He was too tense to roll his eyes. "God, Slayer, you don't know him as I do. Please, help me!" He growled and was suddenly too desperate to care that he actually begged her help.

"No way. And I do know him. Ex-boyfriend and all."

"Fine." Angelus smiled and jerked at the ropes. "See you soon, sweetheart." And, as he dragged him outside, Spike saw the brunette lingering at the threshold.

"I'm sorry he didn't choose you. Maybe your mouth was too little for _him_, you know?" She said and Spike imagined the Slayer shivering, helpless at those words.

"I hope you choke on him, bitch." She said instead and Spike grinned, finding himself suddenly proud of her.

-o-

She couldn't do anything but beat the shit out of every informer she knew in an attempt to find out where Angelus and his new girlfriend had holed up.

This was her new nightmare. The nightmare of all her nightmares.

Angelus coming back. Faith as his girlfriend. Faith as a vampire. And Spike with them, supplying all kind of information about her friends that he'd gathered around Giles' place during his captivity. It couldn't be worse.

Well, maybe Angelus trying to remove Spike's chip would be a bonus in the creepy list.

Buffy carefully climbed down the ladder into the dark basement of the abandoned house, ears fully alert to perceive the tiniest sound.

This was the last of the places her informers had mentioned. More than two weeks had passed since Angelus' creepy visit and, if he wasn't there, she really didn't know what else she could do. He was smart enough to change his residence frequently and not leave any trail. Damn, searching for Spike was easier. In fact, he always left a trail, or came directly to her, as though he couldn't stay away from the danger. God, she missed him. She missed their banter, how she could easily unload her frustration with him, and even his annoying presence. Angelus was gonna pay so much, depriving her of her favorite punch ball.

Suddenly the tiny hairs at the back of her neck rose. She kept walking steadily, not wanting the vampire to know she'd sensed him. It would be an advantage, if he decided to jump on her from nowhere, and she would have the time to locate him. So she moved forward, her resolution wavering a little at the prospective of facing Angelus. The tingling was familiar and intense but it came altered, like the creature was weak or in pain.

Buffy didn't let this information confuse her. It could be a trap, a diversion, for all she knew, and she couldn't underestimate her enemy. Then someone moaned softly at her left and she tensed. It could be a vampire's dinner or bait.

As she clenched the stake tightly, there was a noise as though someone was trying to change his position.

"For God's sake, Slayer. Come here and give your job a try."

Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Spike? What are you doing here?" Then, "And what would be my job?"

"Help the helpless, I suppose."

"My job is slaying vampires, not helping the helpless. Do I look like Mother Teresa? And since when are you helpless?"

She knew he had been the moment the Initiative put that piece of metal and circuits in his brain but didn't want to give him the satisfaction, so she went to turn the lights on. She knew Spike's presence could be a diversion but need to see what was going on.

"I'm going to turn on the lights only to kick your ass better, you know."

"I'm not escaping anywhere, for your information."

The switch was clicked and Buffy turned to see a semi-naked Spike on a cot. A chain was keeping his upper half lifted from the ledge, he was shirtless, lightly beaten and was lying with his back turned towards her. His pants were slightly lowered, exposing half of his pale cheeks which were stained with dried blood that Buffy didn't want to know where it came from.

It could be a trap. It was surely a trap, a scene built to distract her while Angelus-

"I know I have a nice ass, but I would appreciate if you'd help me this time."

"I'm not watching your ass!" She spat, though she was. Well, not exactly watching his ass but- "You're a pig."

"Yeah, because I'm so obsessed with sex that I was dying to recall the old times with Peaches. You know, Slayer, you're so blind it's easiest for you to accept I'm a pig, rather than accept you fucked a sadistic killer..." I really said I missed him? I wasn't missing him at all. "... because I love being chained to a wall, with my rocks tied so tight-"

"Wait, your _what_?"

"Never mind. I'll wait until the next charitable chit-"

"God, Spike. Can you shut up?"

"Can you help me?"

She hesitated. "I... can't. You're... I can't while you're half naked."

"So give me the key to this lock. I'll help myself."

"Where...?"

"Angelus must have dropped it on the floor or something."

It was strange to have this sudden intimacy with him and the resentment in his previous harsh words hurt. Buffy wondered why she cared, why she felt guilty about what had happened to him, as though it was her fault if... Well, it wasn't her fault. She didn't know how Angel had found his perfect moment of happiness this time, but it wasn't with her.

When the chain was removed, Spike's back fell unceremoniously to the cot. Buffy eyes trailed automatically over his body to check on his condition. His full lower lip was broken and his pale chest was scraped. Then she had to divert her eyes, because his jeans didn't cover very much.

Spike tugged at the rope to release his balls. "That selfish bastard never allows you the satisfaction of-"

"God, Spike. It's crude enough by itself, without you giving the details."

He turned to her. "You know, I never asked to be your ex-boyfriend's sex toy. The bastard knows how to give pain, that's all."

"But... why?"

Spike sighed and lifted his pelvis to pull up his jeans. "That's the great question. Why do people hurt other people?"

"You know what I mean. Why is he doing this to you? Why did he think this could affect me personally?"

Spike's eyes darkened. "I know you don't care about me, but the giant forehead has a soft spot for blondes. Maybe he wanted to say 'Hey Slayer, this is what I'd like to do to you the next time around' or something like that." A pause. Then, more softly. "He likes to play with his victims. He wants you to be scared that he can do this to your friends."

Buffy shivered at the notion. "He knew I would find you."

"More spectacular than leaving a note on the fridge, don't you think?"

Then there was silence. A strange comfy silence between them.

"I'm sorry."

Spike watched her intently. "Don't be. You didn't know."

"If I can do something to help..."

"Then stake me. My life sucked enough without this."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." A pause. "You know, the only thing that kept me from going nuts around bloody Angelus and that bitch Darla was Dru's insanity." A small chuckle. "Then I found a tight-ass Slayer too hard to kill and got a piece of shit in my brain that prevents me from being myself." Another pause. "Well, not myself, but what I should be."

"Maybe you deserved it."

Spike frowned. "Nobody deserves this."

"Maybe you are _Nobody_."

He pushed himself up onto his elbows. "Oi, Slayer. Don't give me that speech. I'm not bloody Angel."

"Angel actually-"

"Yeah, I know. And that makes me truly buggered, as a matter of fact."

Buffy sighed deeply. She didn't want to argue with him. She wanted to find the two vampires and make them pay, as soon as possible. Only God knew what they were going to do.

"So, my evil ex-boyfriend and an evil ex-Slayer ex-friend ex-well, more-slut-than-ever Faith are gonna paint the town red under our noses and I have to stop them. You're with me?" She extended her arm.

Spike frowned but grabbed her hand. "Poetic justice, I suppose."

She helped him to rise from the cot, then he leaned on her and they headed together to the ladder.

She didn't know why she asked for his help. Maybe she wanted him to have the chance to get his revenge or maybe she instinctively knew that Spike could be a priceless help to defeat Angelus.

This was her worse nightmare coming true but, somehow, having Spike at her side made it less worse.

End of chapter one.

If you want to accept the challenge and continue the story please e-mail me and read this notes.

Must have: some Angelus/Vamp Faith time together (to show how their minds work)

Mustn't have: Adam or other nemesis (this is all about Angelus and vamp Faith)

Directions: Buffy is with Riley at the beginning of the story. I want Angelus to be very evil and the ex-boyfriend stalker kind like in the second season. The reason he came back as Angelus is up to you.


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